Introduction to Personal Identification (PID)

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Introduction to Personal Identification (PID) and Analytical Methods

Personal Identification (PID)

• in forensic science refers to the process of establishing the identity of an individual

• using scientific methods and evidence.

• involves analyzing physical, biological, or behavioral characteristics

• that are unique or distinctive to a person.

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Identification may involve:

• Confirming the identity of a living person

• Identifying unknown dead bodies

• Linking a suspect to a crime scene

• Verifying the identity of victims in disasters

• Common identifiers used include fingerprints, DNA, dental records, facial features, scars, tattoos, and biometric characteristics.

Importance of PID in the Criminal Justice System

Criminal Investigation

• Helps identify suspects and offenders, Links individuals to crime scenes

Identification of Victims

• Used to identify unknown bodies in homicide, accidents, and disasters.

Disaster Victim Identification (DVI)

• Essential in events such as air crashes, earthquakes, floods, and terrorist attacks.

Legal and Court Proceedings

• Provides scientific evidence that can be presented in court.

Prevention of Wrongful Convictions

• Accurate identification prevents misidentification and false accusations.

Missing Persons Identification

• Helps match missing persons with unidentified bodies.

Types of Personal Identification Evidence

can be classified into three major categories.

1. Biological Evidence

2. Physical Evidence

3. Biometric Evidence

Biological Evidence

Evidence obtained from biological materials of the human body.

• DNA profiling

• Blood

• Hair

• Saliva

• Semen

• Bone tissue

Physical Evidence

Identification based on physical characteristics or body features. Examples:

• Fingerprints

• Footprints

• Handprints

• Facial features

• Scars and tattoos

• Body measurements

• Skeletal features

Biometric Evidence

• Identification using technology-based measurement of human characteristics. Examples:

• Fingerprint biometrics

• Iris recognition

• Retina scanning

• Facial recognition

• Voice recognition

• Gait analysis

widely used in security systems, border control, and digital identity verification.

Analytical Methods

• Analytical methods are scientific techniques used to detect, identify, and analyze physical or biological evidence collected from crime scenes.

These methods help determine:

• What the evidence is

• Where it came from

• Who it belongs to

Types of Analytical Methods

Chemical Analysis

Used to analyze chemical substances.

Examples:

• Drug identification

• Poison detection

• Explosives analysis

• Toxicology testing

Common techniques:

• Chromatography

• Spectroscopy

Biological Analysis

Used to analyze biological materials.

Examples:

• Blood, Hair

• Saliva , Semen

• Tissue

Methods include:

• DNA profiling, Serological tests

Physical Analysis

• Used to analyze physical evidence.

Examples:

• Glass fragments, Paint

• Soil, Fibers

• Tool marks

Techniques include:

• Microscopy

• Comparison analysis

Instrumental Analytical Methods

• Advanced scientific instruments are used for precise analysis.

Common instruments include:

• Gas Chromatography (GC)

• High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)

• Mass Spectrometry (MS)

• Infrared Spectroscopy (IR)

• Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS)

These techniques provide highly accurate scientific results.